Christmas in Russia
презентация к уроку по английскому языку на тему

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CHRISTMAS IN RUSSIA ВЫПОЛНИЛА: ДУХОВСКАЯ М.Б. УЧИТЕЛЬ АНГЛИЙСКОГО ЯЗЫКА МБОУ СШ №6 Г. ПАВЛОВО НИЖЕГОРОДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

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Christmas in Russia is considered to be one of the main holidays of Christians, the second after Easter. On this day believers celebrate the major event - the birth of the Divine Son Jesus Christ who has come to earth to rescue human souls.

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In old times in Russia, Christmas was celebrated on December 25th. The period after Christmas Day until the 6 th of January was known as Svyatki . Svyatki was a very joyful part of Russian Christmas celebrations those days.

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People began to celebrate Christmas in Russia on January 7 th at the beginning of the 20th century. The date is different because the Russian Orthodox church uses the old 'Julian' calendar for religious celebration days. Christmas was banned as a religious holiday in 1929 and Christmas Trees were banned until 1935 when they turned into 'New Year' Trees.

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Nowadays Christmas in Russia is annually celebrated thanks to the Russian Orthodox Church that has made it an official holiday in the country. It is celebrated with the faithful participating in an all-night Mass in Cathedrals. Christmas Mass takes place on this evening, and in some cathedrals this ceremony can go long into the night.

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Celebrating Christmas in Russia begins with Christmas Eve January 6, which is called the Sochelnik. The evening meal on the Eve of Christmas is accompanied by many traditions and ceremonies. This day in food was possible to accept only so-called sochivo - boiled wheat (or rice) with honey and fruits, and only after liturgy, which passes in evening prayer . The Russian word for Christmas Eve ' sochelnik ', comes from the word ' sochivo '.

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Fruit compote or Vzvar is a ritual drink served to celebrate the birth of the Baby Jesus into the world. Some families serve desserts like pryaniki (gingerbread cookies), animal-shaped gingerbread kozuli or kolyadki . Kolyadki are Russian Christmas cookies made, usually, with rye flour and filled with curd cheese .

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The special tradition of Christmas and Svyatki in Russia was kolyadki, or glorification. This holiday dates back before Orthodox Christianity, to the times when Russia was a pagan society. Youth and children went out with a large self-made star, singing church songs, and also spiritual songs-kolyadki devoted to Christmas.

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Kolyada custom was to dress up in the skin of different animals and sing songs in worship of the main god - the Sun. On the first night of Kolyada, people lit a big fire which was kept burning for 12 days, as a symbol of new life. On hills people rolled a big burning wheel as a symbol of the Sun.

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Since ancient times young girls used to practice divination during the Yuletide. It means they gathered together and did various manipulations to foresee the future. A girl can look in the mirror with candles after midnight and wait until she sees her future husband in the mirror.

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In some villages it was widespread to put up a straw stack in the yard and burn it. It was believed that the dead ancestors returned for a moment to warm up by the fire, kindled by their descendents. In return they bestowed fertility to the living .

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On other days after Christmas before the Christening — Svyatki — it is acceptable to take care of the poor and patients requiring people: to visit children`s houses, shelters, hospitals, prisons. Many years ago in Svyatki even the kings dressed as the poor people, visited prisons and gave alms.

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Christmas tree appeared in Russia in the times of Peter the Great. After the death of Peter the Christmas tree had been completely forgotten, and it was brought back “to life” only at the beginning of the XIX century by the Germans who settled in St. Petersburg and continued the customs of their native Germany in the distant snowy Russia.

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The role of Father Christmas is played by Dedushka Moroz or Grandfather Frost. A traditional Christmas figure is Snegurochka. She is a grand-daughter of Ded Moroz . They gave presents on Christmas in old times. But nowadays they have nothing with Christmas. They come with presents on a New Year.

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Russia celebrates a white Christmas that with the weather is very cold and snowy during this time and the temperature is always dropping to minus degrees. We call such weather “Christmas Frost”

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I wish you a Merry Christmas